So what did you make of Dave King’s “compete with some of the bigger clubs, particularly Celtic” news conference?
He’s hoping to make a managerial appointment “within a week” which, despite the need to rebuild the squad, is a little ahead of where I expected him to be based on the feedback I know he received from those who were sounded out.
Punters and media seem convinced Warburton will be appointed. I know nothing about the man, but I’ve assumed Stuart McCall would get the job due to all other candidates having a real job, or better prospects. As McCall said in his TV interview following his Fir Park capitulation, he knows what is required and has experience at shopping for free transfers in the English lower leagues. Anyone else is an unnecessary risk so I’m still inclined to think McCall will get it.
A 5% increase in season ticket costs is on the lower end of what I expected, but there’s a subtext with this one (there often is). A key aim of whoever has been in charge at Ibrox over the last three years is to get season ticket prices back to the level they were when Ticketus “over-invested” (caveat over-investors).
Charles Green planned to do this from the off. The script was to read: “I’ve saved your club. Now I’m going to put a £50k p.a. pay cap on and I need you to buy 40,000 season tickets at full price, to ensure we glide up the leagues with ease and arrive in the SPL with money in the bank”. The players and manager would have had a choice, show you’re here for the badge, not the money, or move on.
But, within a week, King and the Blue Knights wanted the assets off Green. McCoist and others were mobilised into destabilising Charlie, who was forced to cut prices, over-promise and ultimately under-deliver.
If I was King yesterday, I’d have looked the camera in the eye and told fans “This is your time, your club needs every last one of you to step forward and pay £600 per ticket”. I’m sure he wanted to do this, but he seemed riddled self-doubt, contrasting starkly with the effusive confidence he radiated before the last EGM. It made me think of the Woody Allen line, “Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem”.
One thing I am sure of is, if he was about to splash the kind of cash he talked about while trying to remove the old board, he would have put his money on the table and asked fans to do the same.
The trade-off King referred to: the more money fans put in the less he (and other investors) need to put in, is not actually a trade-off at all. In reality, the more money he puts in now, the more fans will buy season tickets; the less he invests, the less fans will spend. Momentum, or the lack thereof, is at play.
This matter was King’s biggest failure. Charles Green and the master, David Murray, knew how to use show-biz to put bums on seats at Ibrox. Yesterday the stage was set for a bit of showmanship: “Here’s the colour of my money, now roll-up, roll-up, get your tickets before they’re all gone”. Say it confidently, convince the thousands desperate to be convinced, and you give yourself the best chance of success.
My focus would have been different from King’s too. Forget about catching Celtic, fans know this is a pipe dream. What they want most of all is a solvent, top-flight, football team. Don’t even reference football targets, instead, talk about filling the stadium, paying the bills, building a trading history good enough to earn proper facilities, and never again signing-off an unsustainable business plan. The fans are Not. All. Daft. Educate them the value of living within your means and they would buy into the project.
Talk about catching Celtic with an unsustainable business plan is astonishing, after all these people have come through, simply astonishing.
I could never quite figure how, for years, Rangers directors knew HMRC were contesting their EBTs, knew a legal challenge lay ahead, but made no provisions whatsoever for that challenge. Win or lose the case, they needed a plan to cope with each scenario. It turned out they didn’t even have a plan to cope with a partial win.
King’s ‘someone will step in and pay if we over-invest’ outlook on life explains a lot. It will be for others to judge his contribution to the lives of Rangers Football Clubs, as far as I’m concerned, it’s impossible to overestimate what he’s done to them. You could say, it’s off the radar!
Spirit of Compassion – Whisky Tasting
On the 25th April, Nepal was rocked by a destructive earthquake which has claimed the lives of over 8,000 people. Many of those affected by death and destruction are children. Glasgow the Caring City is our city’s charity for children in crisis, in times of disaster. Together with House With A Heart, Nepal, we will bring stability and comfort to children left orphaned by this tragedy.
On Thursday 18th June Glasgow the Caring City are hosting a Whisky Tasting event, fun and educational, at the Trades Hall of Glasgow. Tickets are £30 and can be bought here.
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Safe standing will be popular.
I think CQN is being blocked by the company firewall, phone ok
When do they announce the Offensive Standing at football act?
Right KevJ
Get your name down for the new Safe Standing area :-)
http://videocelts.com/2015/06/blogs/latest-news/desperate-king-copies-geldorf-as-he-pleads-with-fans-for-cash
http://videocelts.com/2015/06/blogs/latest-news/dave-king-dodging-the-truth
Would love a trip back to safe standing but dont think I could do it for a whole season
HH
Safe standing is the new sitting doon, and standing up again, when the Hoops are attacking.
HH!!
CosyCornerBhoy/ BMCUW
Pass on Congratulations to Paddy thats some achievement
HH
here’s how it will look
At times it was great listening to all the clicking of the seats before the roar. KOK chip in the 6-2 game is a prime example of it.
Dena
It is only for 90 minutes a fortnight. You will be fine! :)
DD,
Part of the reason may be that ST prices may be adjusted. Whether up or down is open to discussion.
Also, the stuff probably has to be ordered and manufactured.
It also gives the club time to gauge the demand.
It may also have nothing at all to do with the above.
Another first for the ole Celtic.
Hately:
It’s just like a new stanchion !
Gary67, delaneys.
Delay in safe standing , I believe, is due to the need to alter the pitch of the stand. Seem to remember some discussion of it. Notice it’s only 2600 initially. Obviously a tester to see how popular it will be.
Sanna
TTT
I suppose patience is a virtue. Have waited 20 years for this. :)
Safe standing needs a strong Rainjurs.
Shuggiebhoy67. You are entitled to your views which of course are very different from mine but in this life we have choices to make I have made mine and you have apparently made yours but hopefully as your life goes on your view may change.I would not knock anyones view of there faith as you suggested. I believe the Roman Catholic Church is the true Church and would encourage them to join us in the Universal Church but that is there choice.I will for the time being cease from discussing religion as this is a football site after all may God Bless you.H.H.
Stand up for the champions :)
Butsy
Yip mini and my 3 nephews will be relocated again after relocating when renewing
Good news thiugh
Sanna
Aye, makes sense. Cheers.
Apparently Liverpool fans have said they demanded signings not signing Ings.
Good article Paul –
Watching King is like watching an alcoholic promising to give up the drink.
Just when you think he is going to say something sensible he blurts out “spend money catch Celtic!!!!”
In a way it’s sad but also retribution for years of cheating that we had to endure.
These are salad days for us lucky to see them. I spare a thought often for those gone
who never saw the fall.
kevjungle will be pleased……….a wee bit
HH
Cosy corner bhoy, boabM and the lurking winklepicker sister, please pass on my congratulations to young Patrick. A fantastic achievement. You should all be extremely proud.
HH
BSR,
You are on form today.
Have you upped your Witty Pills?
Will the new standing area be the new jungle ? I think the Green Brigade will likely be the first to want to use a new standing area.H.H.
How much can they expect to raise from a share issue?
How long will it take to raise it?
Will they have enough to agree new players coming in in time for the close of the transfer window?
What debts will they be required to pay out from any share issue?
Will Mike Ashley be allowed to reinvest? What will happen to those onerous contracts, particularly the ones that run to two 6 figure direct debits per month that head out the door?
Maintenance and upgrades at Ibrox? Who pays ?
Dave Kings bombast that Rangers were by far the richest club in Scotland tells me he just will not get it. How can he substantiate that comment with the requirement for EBTs?
3 years to challenge Celtic and compete in Europe in the same year means promotion in 2016, qualification for Europe in their first season up in 2017.
7 in a row will come. 9 and 10 will depend on catastrophic failure at Celtic Park and a miracle at I Ibrox. Their net spend from this share issue won’t evn equate to 1m and this is the squad they hope to get promoted with then challenge for Europe.
What’s the bets on Walter Smith returning?
Delaneys Dunky
13:02 on
9 June, 2015
Dena
It is only for 90 minutes a fortnight. You will be fine! :)
I would definitely want to try it …….. its alright for you young ins!!!!
HH
sandman
12:11 on 9 June, 2015
‘It puts the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again.’
Dave King.
——————————–
Just spat my peanuts and beer across the floor of a nice Edinburgh New Town boozer at that. Barman and Nobel prize winning physicist looking at me as if an ambulance might be required…..!
Til later bhoys
HH
Like many other oldies I dont think I could stand for a full ninety mins.So seating is good for me but for others who wish to stand good luck to them. H.H.
mullet & co
Can they have a share issue going out to all investors without being listed on one of the stock markets?
MWD said AYE
Well it is a lovely afternoon the garden is calling so bye for now.
Top scorer Nadir Ciftci has rejected a contract extension at Dundee United and could now leave the Scottish Premiership club this summer.
The 23-year-old Turkish striker was offered a two-year extension last month but says he is “looking for a new challenge”.
“We respect his decision and his ambition as we know he’s attracted significant attention from other clubs,” said manager Jackie McNamara of the forward, who has been linked with Celtic.
LB
Will there be a CQN corner in the safe standing area ? Make sense to me ..
HH
King’s message to Sevconians – the more money you spend on season tickets, the less I will “invest”.
Visionary indeed. Should have gone to Specsavers.
Well done to PLC on pushing for the Safe Standing area at Celtic Park.
I almost fell over when I read it on the website.
section 109, 110, 111 and 209 were identified as the areas for this.
I await the moaning now from those who have to move to accomodate progress.
MWD said AYE
I thought it was a running joke that King spoke of 500,000 top sales until I saw it on the BBC. Now my first Google discovers and good lord Dick Wilson can do it too…………
SHIRT SALES 2009/10-2013/14 (CLUB AVERAGE A YEAR)
1 – Real Madrid 1,580,000
2 – Manchester United 1,490,000
3 – Barcelona 1,190,000
4 – Bayern Munich 945,000
5 – Chelsea 875,000
6 – Arsenal 825,000
7 – Liverpool 805,000
8 – Marseille 385,000
9 – Juventus 375,000
10 – PSG 335,000
11 – Fenerbahce 325,000
12 – Inter Milan 300,000
Source: PR Marketing
.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2738568/Manchester-United-Real-Madrid-continue-replica-shirt-sales-charts-selling-average-1-5m-year.html#ixzz3cZGX5OEy
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